Fireball Regret
by Mariko Azrael
Summary: Dekaranger. Ban learns something, the hard way. Ban/Hoji.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine

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Hoji woke up-- sort of. Still lost somewhere between dream and reality, he saw the world through a thick haze.

And to make matters worse, he didn't know why. He'd racked his brain, trying to figure out how the hell he'd wound up like this, but he was just so tired that all he could recall were memories of a struggle, and even those were vague at best. He tried focusing on the things around him currently, hoping that might provide some insight.

The room was small, poorly-lit. He tried moving, just a little-- and quickly discovered that he had been handcuffed. And there were voices. So faint that he could only catch a word or two, but Hoji paid attention, realizing that this was the closest thing to a clue he was going to get.

_Dammit… kinda hoping… he'd just OD…_

Just shoot him already…

Only problem there… make enough noise to alert his friends… trying to avoid a confrontation with SPD, remember?

Too late for that… kill him… they'll be too busy with his corpse to notice we've escaped…

They were going to kill him. Hoji still wasn't conscious in the strictest definition of the word, but that much had gotten across. He felt his chest tighten as something long and dark was pointed at his head, but still had enough control to keep his face neutral as the weapon hummed into life. There was no way out of this, not now, but he'd be damned before he gave… whoever they were the satisfaction of breaking his pride as a pro--

There was a bang. Then another one. And then there was so much noise all at once that Hoji didn't have time to wonder why he wasn't dying when someone had clearly shot… but then his head drooped as he tried to stay awake. Apparently, whatever they'd drugged him with had yet to leave his system…

He tried to keep his eyes open, to see what was happening… but it was no good.

* * *

It was quiet again. Whatever had happened, it was over already-- and seeing how Hoji was still alive (and still so very exhausted) he was guessing that his captors were no longer a concern.

_Wake up._

Hoji was vaguely aware of something red holding him, speaking softly-- and for some reason, that seemed odd. Maybe if he wasn't so tired he could figure out who it was…

_Damn you, wake up!_

He felt a strange sort of relief when the voice shouted at him-- like the world was back to normal. Perhaps now it would be all right if he went to sleep… just for a little while…

_No, no, no…_

Hoji felt lips pressed against his in a rough, urgent kiss… and then nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine

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Jasmine wasn't sure how long she had been watching Ban pace around the room. Long enough for a normal person to pass out from exhaustion, at least. But she had known Ban long enough to know that he was anything but normal.

Still, she couldn't just leave him like this. So, with a mug of Swan-san's famous coffee in hand, she approached him carefully. "Hoji's going to be okay," she said as she handed him the mug. "In fact, he should be waking up in a couple of hours. So why don't we…" she was cut off as Ban angrily downed the coffee in one gulp (luckily, it'd gone cold while she was watching him brood), and then stalked off to punch a wall. Hard enough to make his knuckles bleed.

"Ban!" Jasmine closed the distance between them and yanked the injured hand away from the wall. She could understand why he was acting like this, she could even sympathize, but sympathy only went so far. "Breaking your hand isn't going to help Hoji!"

"I know that!" Ban's tone was unusually harsh as he pulled away from Jasmine. "It's just…" Ban paused, pacing some more. "How the hell am I supposed to act?!"

"What do you mean?"

Ban stalked over to a window, glaring out at the grey sky. "He was just so still, Jasmine. No yelling at me for being late, no insisting he could get up himself, he… was barely breathing." Ban rested his forehead against the window pane. "How am I supposed to act after seeing my partner like that?"

Jasmine's first reaction was to remind Ban that whether they liked or not, that was part of being of being a Deka… then she realized that he really hadn't dealt with this before. Before, it had always been Ban rushing in, nearly getting himself killed, leaving Hoji to fume and worry endlessly. But now, after this…

Gently, Jasmine rested a hand against Ban's back. The tension didn't fade, but at least he didn't pull away this time. "Hoji will understand."

"But--"

"Hoji will understand. Ask him yourself if you don't believe me." Jasmine smiled and shrugged. "You're not the first Deka to get worried sick over a teammate, after all. And it's not like you did anything panicky and kissed him when you found him, right?"

"Uh, yeah, right." Jasmine raised an eyebrow as Ban scratched his head, smiling just a little too brightly before he made a break for a door… but she decided to let it go. Whatever Ban had done in the desperate moments before they'd gotten Hoji home safe, it was between the two of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine

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Even Ban thought he had acted like an idiot.

It was just… Hoji had nearly died. There had been a few, desperate moments when Ban had honestly thought Hoji was dead. And along with that desperation came the numbing knowledge that if he'd been there just a little earlier, maybe Hoji would still be…

Ban had kissed him without even realizing it.

And then others has shown up, and they'd taken Hoji back to Deka Base, and the medics told Ban that Hoji would be fine, really, he could go now, he was starting to annoy the other patients, and all that was left for Ban to do was think.

He'd known. He'd known that Hoji would never feel… the way he did for Hoji. Considering how long it was taking for Ban to get him to call him 'partner', how could even think of hoping for anything else? But when Band saw Hoji there, pale and still… all he could do was hope that Hoji didn't remember the kiss.

Oh, crap, what if Hoji **did** remember the kiss? The second he saw Ban, he'd probably get some crazy adrenaline rush and ignore his injuries and go straight for the jugular…

… Well, at least Hoji was still alive to go straight for his jugular, Ban reminded himself as he peeked through the med bay window. Hoji was there, sleeping. He was okay. Ban kept repeating that to himself as he took a seat next to Hoji-- and the screech the chairs legs made against the floor proved to be enough to wake Hoji up.

Hoji glared up at him groggily. "Hrn. Figures."

Ban gave Hoji the widest grin he could. "Of course it's me, partner! And I had to check up on you, right?"

Hoji flinched. "Don't call me partner-- and don't talk so loud."

"Oh, um, sorry." Ban's grin turned into a grimace as he tried to keep his voice down. Hoji must've noticed the effort it took in order to do so (it wasn't Ban's fault if he was naturally loud), since he was eying him critically.

"Ban. Are you all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ban's noise level was back to normal, but Hoji didn't seem to notice-- much to Ban's dismay. "I wasn't the one, who y'know… got hurt…"

Hoji kept looking at him. "You're hiding something." He leaned in, voice dangerous. "Tell me-- now."

Ban spluttered, trying to think of anything that wasn't a lie, but also wouldn't get him punched. Each excuse seemed lamer than the last one, and finally Ban just gave up and decided to with what had always worked for him before: actions instead of words.

Hoji was safe. There was no Alienizers, no weapons lying nearby. And yet Ban kissed Hoji every bit as fervently as he had when he'd found him, drugged and wounded and half-dead.

When he finally pulled away Hoji looked… thoughtful. "Hunh. Well, that explains who it was before, then."

"Whaddya mean, partner?"

"I said don't call me partner," Hoji said… and then gave Ban a hesitant kiss on the cheek. "Can I back to sleep now?"

Ban nodded eagerly, and watched as Hoji settled back down. There were more things he wanted to try with Hoji, things that involved more than just kissing, but for now, he was content to watch him breathe.


End file.
